Dental fear is a common issue experienced by many people in the United States. According to the American Dental Association, 22 percent of people neglect dental treatment due to fear. If you feel apprehensive about visiting the dentist, oral sedation can help you through your appointment. Patients who have failed to take proper care of their teeth due to avoiding routine dental cleanings eventually may need restorative treatments, such as dental fillings, crowns, or, even tooth replacement. If you have dental anxiety or fear, don’t let it come in your way of getting the care you need. Dr. Claudia Denes in Fresno, CA can incorporate dental sedation to make your appointment comfortable and relaxing.
Coping with Dental Fear
At Fresno Dental Studio, we encourage our patients to speak freely about their fear. We believe it is our job to provide a comfortable and relaxing environment for our patients so they can feel at ease while in our office. When arriving for your appointment, our friendly staff will greet with you smiling faces and answer any questions you may have. We’re dedicated to helping each patient feel at home so they can receive the care they deserve.
Before undergoing treatment, it’s important to find a dentist who you trust and who is supportive of your feelings. If you feel uneasy about dental procedures, make sure that you have full confidence in your dentist. As the patient, you should be honest about your fears. If you know the cause of your dental anxiety, such as a negative past experience, explain it to Dr. Denes. Remember, your fear isn’t trivial. When we adequately understand your fears, we can better prepare to create a positive visit for you.
Dr. Denes listens to what each patient has to say and will take the time to address your fears and explain each procedure before beginning. Based on your unique needs, she will recommend the best sedative medication to help you through your treatment. Dr. Denes has found that patients who understand treatment beforehand experience minimized anxiety.
Oral Dental Sedation
At your consultation, Dr. Denes will recommend a sedative medication. She provides a variety of sedatives, including Valium, Restoril, and Ativan to help patients cope with their fear of the dentist. Because these medications will make you feel drowsy, it’s important to have a loved one drive you to and from your procedure.
You can expect to receive two doses of the medication. One should be taken the night before your procedure, to help you relax enough for a full night’s sleep. When you wake up on the day of your procedure, you should feel well rested. Dr. Denes will instruct you to take the second dose an hour before your appointment. You can expect to feel the effects 30 minutes to an hour after ingestion.
The next thing that you’ll remember is waking up. You may forget that you even had dental work done. Aside from some soreness, you should recover fairly quickly. However, this will be dependent on the type and complexity of the procedure received.
Other Sedative Options
For patients who do not want to take sedation in pill form, Dr. Denes recommends Versed. This medication is taken in liquid form. Fifteen minutes after you take this syrup, you will feel sleepy. She also offers Halcion, which is administered through an IV.
At Fresno Dental Studio, we recommend oral sedation because it relaxes you enough to receive a good night’s sleep. It’s important to feel rested before your procedure begins. We have found that this is the first step in making your appointment a positive one.